Calla lilies and sulfur smoke in Taiwan

The four of us finally made it Taipei for Spring Break, the first week of April. Gene has been coming here for several years on business trips and was anxious to have us visit as well. We were very fortunate that his Taiwanese Xiamen colleague, Sam, was back in the city at the same time and offered to take us around. He and his wife took us on a tour of a mountain that is just outside Taipei, thankfully the rain cleared long enough for us to have a really fun day.

I have never seen calla lilies growing on a farm before so I was glad that our timing was perfect for their apparently short season. After winding along a narrow mountain road and enjoying a lunch at a famous outdoor restaurant, we walked among the fields of lilies. They were a bit like the "u pick" strawberries fields that we have back home, though less strict! We saw young ladies climbing through the mud to pick their favorite blooms. We stayed on the paths since we were not going to take any back to the hotel with us.

Lily fields on both sides of the stream.
My girls weren't as enchanted as I was, but they liked walking along the narrow paths.


The main road was further narrowed by the many stalls selling flowers. These beauties always remind me of my college roommate, Kate, as she had them in her wedding bouquets. Wish you could be here too, Kate!
Next on the agenda was the volcanic sulfur part of the mountain. A different kind of beauty?! I didn't notice much scent from the lilies (unlike other types of lilies that can be detected from far off) but the sulfur most certainly made its presence known through its awful stench. Funny how the flower fields were teeming with people but we almost had the volcano park to ourselves!
It is difficult to capture the size of this outcrop of volcanic rock but try to see the short segment of fencing along the bottom left of the photo...

Now, here is Amanda next to that fence. This was like a crater, except that it was along the side of the mountain. It looked like a giant landslide, though I couldn't read the signs to learn the history and it's been a long time since my freshman geology class! We were mesmerized by the swirling smoke and the little pools of bubbling hot water that emerged from the ground.
Looking back at the road that leads to the viewing area and the lovely farming village beyond. It was refreshing to spend time in this lush mountain park after living in a city of high-rises. Xiamen has lots of nice city parks, but it's hard to compare with this kind of natural setting. I'm sure he'll never read this, but I'll say it anyway...thanks, Sam, for sharing this part of Taipei with us!

Food and drink on Gulangyu

Gulangyu is a small island (some call it an islet) off the coast of Xiamen, which is itself an island and a city in one. A book about the island, written by a friend of ours, Bill Brown, lists the size as 1.78 square kilometers...I still have no idea how big that is, what with the metric reference and all. Gulangyu has a very rich history as it was once the site of many foreign consulates and is also home to China's oldest Protestant church. It was home to Hope Hospital in the early 1900's which served as a nursing school. Apparently there were students here from our own Hope College back in Holland, Michigan. Judging by the many Dutch names that appear in the history books, they made quite an impact. Today the government buildings are no longer staffed by foreign dignitaries, in fact many of them are falling into disrepair. But the architecture
is varied and interesting. Now it is mostly a tourist attraction and shopping destination.

As mentioned in previous posts, a ferry must be taken to gain access to the island and, once there, travel must be done by foot or electric golf carts. Bicycles are not even allowed! As there are many restaurants, hotels and private residences, I have often wondered how supplies are transported. Recently I found myself alone on the island for a quick shopping trip (no friends were available to accompany me) and had the chance to see for myself.

But first, a look at some of the numerous seafood options...
From across the road those buckets look pretty small, but they can hold quite a lot of tempting lunch-time morsels. Actually, they don't tempt me at all since I am allergic to seafood. Sometimes I find myself feeling quite thankful for said allergies as they have gotten me out of some uncomfortable dining situations...
So the way it works is that you point to the items you like in the buckets, sit at your favorite table and wait for them to be scooped out and cooked. I can't even identify half of these things, but I know they include various types of clams, mussels and other shell-dwelling sea animals. I was unable to get any good photos of the numerous live fish and other large creatures as it was close to noon and potential diners were swarming the menageries excitedly.
During my stroll through the narrow, walled and crooked lanes, I found tomorrow's lunch. I believe these are mussels (or shelled long-neck clams) that are, for some unknown reason, drying in the sun. I didn't want to get too close or breathe my germs onto this food, though I doubt if anyone would have cared. It just seemed rude to lean in tight for a better photo.
Now for the answer to the transport questions. There are many long concrete piers extending into the water, away from the passenger ferry terminals. Here I spotted a well-bumpered long boat (perhaps the sea driving is as bad as the road driving...) that was laden with crates of beverages.
I watched from the boardwalk as men dragged carts up the steep ramp. (Xiamen island in the background)
Off to deliver a box of something, cigarette firmly between his lips. I have seen these types of carts all over the island, loaded with a large variety of merchandise, including a piano! (One nick-name of the island is Piano Island as it is home to many music schools)
Precious cargo. I'll admit, these over-loaded carts were the first to catch my eye. Those are cases of beer, each containing twelve large bottles, the type that are ordered for the table and shared among the many small juice glasses. I did not stick around long enough to watch anyone attempt to drag these heavy loads anywhere...it made me tired just thinking about it!